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  • Sign spelling

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Jun 15, 2017

    Sash Moline, left, helps Jesalyn Blair arrange letters for a lemonade stand banner. Students in the Ralph Witters Elementary summer program have been building the stands this week, and will set them up at locations around town Monday and Tuesday....

  • New senior center director settles in

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Jun 15, 2017

    May saw a change in staff at the Hot Springs County Senior Citizens Center, Lisa Pierce took over as director. Outgoing director Chanda Waddell, who moved to Indiana, worked at the facility through May. Pierce said she was lucky to have Waddell stay for those weeks, to help her get accustomed to everything before June 1. Since then, Pierce said everyone has gone out of their way to make her feel welcome. The staff has been very helpful, she said, and the clients have been great. Much of the...

  • Chamber board reviews, adopts budget

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Jun 15, 2017

    Thursday evening, the Thermopolis-Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce approved the budget for the 2017-18 fiscal year, which balances out at $149,240 for income and expenditures. The income budget includes $5,100 from advertising opportunities such as newspapers, the chamber website and the table tents — the trifold pieces seen at local businesses that advertise events in the next couple months. Income also includes $56,600 from events, including: $36,000 from the demolition derby, $700 from the G...

  • Schwan sentenced to six to eight years

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Jun 8, 2017

    After more than two hours of testimony, victim impact statements and attorney arguments Monday afternoon, Matthew Schwan was sentenced to six to eight years at the Wyoming State Penitentiary and fined $5,000 on a charge of aggravated vehicular homicide. Following a three-day trial, on March 15, 2017 Schwan was found guilty of the charge, which stems from a May 14, 2016 incident during which Reilly Schwan was struck by a vehicle driven by Matthew following a night of drinking with others and an...

  • Council approves annual budget

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Jun 8, 2017

    Tuesday evening, the Thermopolis Town Council approved the budget for the 2017-18 fiscal year. Individual funds within the General Fund are: $105,250 for Legislative/Executive, $184,500 for Clerk/Treasurer, $14,400 for Judge, $58,200 for Law, $80,900 for Town Hall, $682,550 for Police, $298,925 for Dispatch Department, $65,500 for Corrections, $32,750 for Codes Administration, $89,800 for Fire Department, $642,000 for One Percent Sales Tax Projects, $610,150 for Streets and Alleys, $37,950 for P...

  • TCT files lawsuit against Campbells

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Jun 8, 2017

    In response to an ongoing lawsuit against members of the Tri-County Telephone Association, Inc. (TCT), the corporation filed a complaint in U.S. Cheyenne District Court on May 26 against Joe Campbell and Barbara Campbell, as well as John and Jane Does 1-10. The complaint filed by TCT alleges Joe, who was a member of the board of directors of TCT from Feb. 24, 2003 until the board was dissolved on Jan. 1, 2015, maintained control of a company-issued laptop he was required to return. His keeping t...

  • Vialpando enters not guilty plea

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Jun 8, 2017

    Monday afternoon in District Court, Lola Vialpando pleaded not guilty to charges against her. Though initially charged with 10 counts of felony forgery, two counts of felony theft and one count of felony larceny, Vialpando was later charged with an additional seven counts of forgery and three counts of theft. During proceedings Monday, it was indicated the two cases would be combined, and Vialpando would see trial on all 23. Though no date has been set for the trial, it’s expected to take f...

  • Workshop focuses on hospitality, tourism

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Jun 8, 2017

    Wednesday May 31 at the Hot Springs County Museum, 38 people representing 15 businesses attended a hospitality and customer service workshop. The event was hosted by Hot Springs Travel and Tourism, and the Thermopolis-Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce, Casper College Certified Hospitality Educator Ginny Garner leading the class. After brief introductions from those attending, which included names, businesses they were representing, and where they like to vacation and why, Garner pointed out many...

  • Run with the buffalo

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Jun 8, 2017

    The annual Running with the Buffalo is scheduled to start on Saturday, June 10 at 7:30 a.m. in Hot Springs State Park, in the grassy area with the buffalo statue, near the swimming areas. The event includes a 4K walk/run and an 8K run through the buffalo pasture and back to the park. The run/walk, hosted by the Hot Springs County Recreation District, is a culminating event for the Ready Set Run! program. There is no age limit, and participants can register the day of the event, beginning at...

  • Summer baseball program sees increase

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Jun 8, 2017

    The Hot Springs County Recreation Department baseball program is underway, with a couple games already in the books. Department Director Brad Morrison said there are 76 kids, ages 3-12, out for the program this year, which is up 20 from last year. Of those out, there are 20 in the Start Smart program for three- to five-year-olds, which involves parents attending one day a week to help their kids learn baseball fundamentals like hitting, throwing and catching. Another 18 of the kids are in the...

  • Volunteers needed to set up hoop house

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Jun 8, 2017

    Recently, two grants were awarded which will benefit the Thermopolis Middle School Farm to School program. Teacher Becky Martinez said one of the grants, provided through the Wyoming Department of Agriculture and the University of Wyoming, will provide for a hoop house on the west side of the building. The hoop house is a 15-foot by 39-foot structure. Though similar to a greenhouse, Martinez explained it is different in the fact that it is made of rounded PVC pipe and heavy plastic. Though not...

  • Greek food comes to Thermop

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Jun 8, 2017

    The appearance of a food truck at an empty lot on Sixth Street over the past couple weeks has certainly drawn some attention. The vehicle is home to The Greek Station, owned and operated by husband and wife Georgios and Karine Takos. Karine said before her husband started doing the food truck, he worked at a restaurant in San Diego, Calif., where she was also a teacher. He had previously taken the truck across the country, setting it up at concerts, events and other venues, and Karine said this...

  • Bringing together wood and canvas

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Jun 8, 2017

    For A.B. Word and Barrie Lynn Bryant, their art is more than just a creative outpouring; it's a true partnership. It's also an interesting collaboration, combining painting with woodworking. The two will have been together for 25 years in October, and though the majority of those years have seen them in Wyoming, Bryant actually started in photography, and Word in graphite portraits, though both worked in Little Rock, Arkansas. Word explained it came to a point when they grew tired of the area,...

  • Weisbeck built a wood boat and it floats!

    Mark Dykes, Editor|Jun 8, 2017

    People from Thermopolis may already know Pete Weisbeck, have heard of someone who has had a home built by him, or he might even have built their home. However, the past several months have seen a different passion for Weisbeck – building a drift boat. Weisbeck bought the book "Drift Boats and River Dories" by Roger Fletcher a couple years back and "fell in love with it." Fletcher, he said, measured a bunch of old boats from the 1940s. "I had to study this book for two months, to find out how t...

  • Snow water percentages explained

    Mark Dykes, Reporter Photographer|Jun 1, 2017

    In order to stem any alarm over numbers, Hot Springs County Emergency Management Coordinator Bill Gordon recently explained what is happening with the Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) percentages in the Wind River Mountains. The SWE is the amount of water contained in the snowpack. As of May 15, the SWE was 210 percent. On May 22, is was 304 percent, and on May 29 it was 410 percent. It is important to understand the climbing percentages does not reflect increasing snow depth or SWE amounts. Though...

  • 3-on-3 sees increase in teams from last year

    Mark Dykes, Reporter Photographer|Jun 1, 2017

    A brief downpour helped cool things down at the 2017 Hot City Summer Slam 3-on-3 basketball tournament this weekend. During the course of the event, bumping music and plenty of action on the courts kept things lively, and a number of vendors kept players and spectators fed, hydrated and entertained. Though 1994 was the first year for the tournament, this was the second year the event has been hosted by the Bobcat Boosters; the Thermopolis-Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce previously hosted it....

  • Adult softball underway

    Mark Dykes, Reporter Photographer|Jun 1, 2017

    by Mark Dykes The Hot Springs County Recreation Department Adult Softball league started May 9 this year, and is currently in its fourth week. Recreation Director Brad Morrison noted there are a total of seven teams this year. Among the competing teams are One-Eyed Buffalo, Slide One In, Sons of Pitches, One Stop Sparkplugs, Risen Son, Robin Batsman and Merit’s Nicest Team Ever. Scores from this past week include: May 23 — One Stop Sparkplugs – 20, Slide One In – 5; Robins BatsMan – 7, Sons o...

  • Hospital board to send proposal requests

    Mark Dykes, Reporter Photographer|Jun 1, 2017

    Tuesday evening, the Hot Springs County Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees approved sending out requests for proposals to five construction firms, in regard to the large renovation and expansion project. The firms selected are Sletten, Groathouse, Erdman, Sampson and Layton; Sletten and Groathouse are out of Cody, Sampson is out of Cheyenne, and Erdman and Layton are from out-of-state. Two additional firms — Dick Anderson of Sheridan and FCI of Cheyenne — were not chosen. The board also app...

  • New ordinance cleans up town code

    Mark Dykes, Editor|May 25, 2017

    The Thermopolis Town Council has approved the first two readings of an ordinance to make all operating hours and days uniform for all liquor licenses. The ordinance repeals town code sections 3-105 and 3-106. Section 3-105 reads, “Any club holding a limited retail liquor license shall be subject to the schedule of operating hours provided in Wyoming statutes, except that said club may extend its hours of operation to 12:00 midnight on Sundays.” Section 3-106 reads, “On all days except Sunda...

  • Rock cleanup, slope repairs begin in Canyon

    Mark Dykes, Editor|May 25, 2017

    Two contractors began cleaning up May rockfall inside Wind River Canyon on Monday, including stability and rockfall emergency repairs of existing canyon walls about 10 miles south of Thermopolis in the area of Big Windy Curve. The estimated cost of the cleanup effort by Wilson Brothers Construction of Cowley and GeoStabilization International of Grand Junction, Colo., is $653,000. Wilson and GSI are scheduled to begin work on the rockslide cleanup effort and slope stabilization beginning Monday...

  • Flags to fly on Memorial Day

    Mark Dykes, Editor|May 25, 2017

    Monument Hill Cemetery will once again be home to Hawk’s Avenue of Flags this Memorial Day. The memorial was created in 2016 in memory of Airman First Class Donald L. “Hawk” Hawkins by his wife Betty Hawkins and daughter Julie Lehman, but it is for all veterans. The flags flown are the casket flags used at funerals for servicemen and women, but those who want to keep their casket flags can order a 9’x5’ flag. Each flag is displayed on a 15-foot pole, and each pole has a plaque engraved...

  • Hospital district board approves property offer

    Mark Dykes, Editor|May 25, 2017

    Following a 21-minute executive session on May 12, the Hot Springs County Memorial Hospital District Board of Directors approved an offer to purchase property across from the hospital and contiguous to existing hospital property. Acceptance of the offer is contingent upon splitting of the closing costs. There was no information available as to the purchaser’s name or how much was paid for the property, which consists of four lots and a mobile home. The next Hot Springs County Memorial H...

  • Plea change filed in burglary case

    Mark Dykes, Editor|May 25, 2017

    A filing for a change of plea was recently submitted in a case against Kristy Samples, who was scheduled for trial May 18 and 19 in District Court. Samples is charged with burglary, which stems from a Sept. 20 incident during which Samples allegedly stole money and notebooks from her employer after she was relieved of her duties. According to court documents, on Sept. 24 Samples’ former manager met with an officer, and said two other employees had discussed some missing money. The manager f...

  • Time for the transition

    Mark Dykes, Editor|May 25, 2017

    This past week I saw my oldest son graduate from his pre-school program, and dealt with a barrage of “why” as I tried to break down why he couldn’t go straight to kindergarten the next day. He has yet to grasp this concept of summer vacation, and I only hope his love for school holds out longer than it did his father’s — I lost it around third grade. For those students who recognize what we’re on the cusp of, it can mean a switch from learning to lounging or, in some cases, working through the...

  • Girls take first in relay at state track

    Mark Dykes, Editor|May 25, 2017

    The 2017 high school track and field season wrapped up this past weekend, with the State Championships at Casper. The girls team was among those in a three-way tie for fifth place at 43 points, and Jules Ward, Chandra Maddock, Haley McDermott and Makayla George were named All-State in Outdoor Track by the Wyoming Coaches' Association. The four girls took first in the 4x400 relay with a time of 4:14.02, coming just short of breaking the 4:13.22 school record. Ward, Maddock and McDermott had...

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